Attorney: Cops plied waitress with alcohol

Pretrial for woman accused of selling cocaine out of a downtown restaurant has been moved back to Sept. 8.

August 10, 2011|By Mona Shadia, mona.shadia@latimes.com

The attorney of the waitress accused of selling cocaine to undercover officers at a downtown Huntington Beach restaurant and bar said he has evidence the officers bought her drinks and got her heavily intoxicated before getting information from her.

Ron Chrislip, representing Brynn Ashley Boucher, asked an Orange County Superior Court judge Tuesday to extend the court date pending a request to the Police Department for any tape recordings of the officers' interactions with Boucher at Killarney Pub & Grill.

"Only after she was heavily intoxicated did they get information from her," Chrislip told the Independent. "All she knows is she was drinking a lot. She doesn't remember selling anything."

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Huntington Beach Police Chief Ken Small would not comment on whether the officers were buying drinks for Boucher. He also said he's not aware of whether interactions with Boucher were recorded.

Boucher, 24, was arrested in May along with Victor Mac Davis, 29, who police allege was helping her obtain the cocaine. Both were charged with three felony counts each for selling and transporting a controlled substance. Boucher also has an open case for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but it is not related to her allegedly selling cocaine or getting intoxicated by the officers.

Police launched the investigation along with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in response to alcohol-related problems downtown. Huntington Beach was recently ranked No. 1 in DUIs for cities its population size in the state.

Undercover police officers allegedly bought cocaine from Boucher in March, April and May.

Chrislip said he has obtained receipt records from the table where she was assigned to work. The officers, he said, paid cash for the drinks.

The Orange County district attorney should realize that Huntington Beach's police may have gone overboard to successfully conclude their investigation, Chrislip said.

"I'm not here to make the police look bad," he said. "I'm here to bring justice."